Surfactants are well known materials which are used broadly for industrial and personal uses. For example, surfactants are often used as rheology modifiers for drilling applications. And in other instances, surfactants are used in detergent compositions, such as hard surface cleaners, laundry detergents, and personal care compositions.
The demand for mild surfactant compounds in the area of detergents, personal products, cosmetics, oral hygiene and pharmaceuticals has been steadily rising. Recent advances in esterification and transesterification techniques have surprisingly enabled development of novel surfactants which may be sourced from a wide variety of feedstocks.
In general, most compositions contain surfactants derived from petrochemicals. Since petro-chemicals can sometimes have handling, storage, and environmental hazards associated with them, it would be most desirable to use surfactants which are instead derived from agriculturally grown materials, such as vegetable oil fatty acids. These naturally occurring compounds have the distinct advantage of being readily available, inexpensive, biodegradable, and aquatically favorable.
One of the drawbacks of naturally derived anionic surfactants has been an apparent decline in cleaning performance versus more traditional petrochemical surfactants. Among surfactants generally formed from petrochemical sources, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is considered to be a highly effective surfactant for removing oil and residues. Shampoo compositions, for example, typically combine sodium lauryl sulfate and/or sodium laureth sulfate, and another co-surfactant. SLS is generally combined with other surfactants, and used in relatively low concentrations, because it is known to irritate sensitive skin. Baby shampoos may exclude SLS altogether because it may cause skin and eye irritation in small children. Therefore, there is a need for a mild surfactant which may supplement SLS in personal care compositions.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for mild anionic surfactants which may be derived from petrochemical sources, but which may also be derived from natural and sustainable feedstocks, and which has excellent cleansing, foaming, viscosity building, and dermatological compatibility.